1998
Stoffel Hias, Jo & Marc Wetzels, who before played together in other bands, become C.O.E.M., which stands for Coin Operated Entertainment Machine
1999
June-September
They rent part of an old Gelatines factory and start recording songs.
1999
December
Pol Geusens joins the band on guitar. At first to make the live gigs stronger, soon as a full member writing along...
2000
Januari
Release of their debut album "Wizzel Wo". The title has no meaning what-so-ever, it's just a fictitious name for a pinball machine Marc came up with...
2000
June 16
Belgian night @ Paradiso (NL) with Admiral Freebee and Geschmacksverstärker.
2000
Juli 07
"Put On Some Music" is released in Belgium, Holland ánd Germany, where the song becomes an underground success as alternative radio DJ's pay massive attention to the song.
Next to two remixes of the single track, acoustic versions of "the good captain" and "Matthew on the pavement" are put on this maxi.
2000
Augustus
The videoclip of Put On Some Music is doing great on Belgian TMF and German VH-1 music stations
2000
December 12
C.O.E.M. supports The The @ the Velinx
2001
Februari
C.O.E.M. becomes Coem and starts recording their second album. 31 days later it's ready...
2001
April 24
Release "bandwi(d)thconsiderations" @ AB Club, Brussels
2001
Summer
Coem plays at Dour festival, Haldern Open Air (D), Leffingeleuren, ...
2001
August 20
Invited to perform at Popkomm Cologne (D): Other bands playing there were Das Pop, Dead Man Ray, Buscemi, Starfighter and Styrofoam. Yep! another great Belgian night, this time in Germany. That night there's one guy in the audience who has a close look...
2001
Augustus-November
More concerts follow! Coem plays together with Sandy Dillon, Muse, Madrugada, ...
2002
March 18
"bandwi(d)thconsiderations" is released in Germany, Austria and Switserland by B-track Europe, followed by a club tour in these countries.
2003
Was a bit of a bummer, but hey... no worry... they did write a lot of stuff and found a new partner in Evil Penguin Records, who gave them the chance to put it all on tape.
And for the fans who remember; Stoffel and Marc gave a legendary gig playing XTC songs only (Vadermoord-reeks, STUK, Leuven) ... we're only making plans for ...
2004
February 26
Their third full album 'Happiness etc.' has it's pré-release at Muziekodroom in home-town Hasselt. The ideal start. A lot of people showed up. The band played as if their life depended on it.
It was a wonderful night, ending with an after-after party at Gelatines Fabriek (the band's practicing room).
2004
March 26
Official release of 'Happiness etc.' in Belgium and The Netherlands
distributed by Bang!
2004
April
Some great reviews follow the release...
2004
May-June
Some exclusive concerts take place in Belgium to promote the new album.
2004
Summer coming up!
Coem's invited to play at Haldern Festival (again!)
2004
September, October, …
Coem plays a lot of shows till March 05. One of the highlights being the invitation to support Mark Lanagan at the AB in Brussels.
2004
November
Pol Geusens leaves the band after 2 albums (he didn’t play on the first one, remember?) and twice as many years to fully concentrate on his first and true love: Blues Music.
Patrick Calvelo, who played several shows with Coem already, will replace Pol.
2005
January
Radio 1 selects Happiness etc. as one of the best records of 2004 amongst bands such as Sonic Youth, Giant Sand, Califone...
COEM start a side-project called The_Head_Phones. >From now on you can enjoy the music of Coem by putting on a headphone. THP is presented to the audience at the Belgian music and literature festival De Nachten.
2005
March 25
Last gig Happiness etc.-Belgian-Club-Tour takes place in home town Hasselt...
2005
April 8, 9 & 10
COEM plays in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne and make some friends on this showcase tour... to be continued.
2005
Summer
The_Head_Phones goes to Antwerp for 5 days in a row. The band plays some German festivals and at the great Pukkelpop festival (together with Pixies, Nick Cave, Death from above 1979, Goldfrapp,... to name some;-)
2005
November 7
Official release 'Happiness etc.' in Germany, Austria and Switserland (decoder-records/ AL!VE)
Press Release at Cleanicum a waschsalon-lounge-bar in Cologne on November 24 with The_Head_Phones-formula!!!
+ THP goes on tour in Belgium!
2006
February
'Happiness etc. tour in Germany with concerts in Berlin, Lübeck, Hamburg and Trier.
More to follow...
